The Great Hillridge Junior High Reunion
by keeponwritin
Summary: It's the year 2012, and Hillridge Junior High is having a 10th anniversary reunion. Will things go as planned, or will it be a total disaster?
1. Before the Reunion: Lizzie's Story

Elizabeth sighed. "This is going to be a looong night," she thought to herself.  
  
She checked the mirror once more. A short strand of golden hair hung loosely in front of her ear. She nervously tucked it behind her ear. Her sorority sisters had convinced her to chop off her hair. It seemed cute at the time, but now she was worried. "Will anyone even recognize me?" she seemed to ask herself. She hadn't grown much since her junior high days. And her outfit. It was far from the loud prints from so long ago. She tried to convince herself that it was sophisticated. What if he showed up? She needed to impress him. If only he knew.  
  
"Who am I kidding?" She wanted to laugh, but she choked on her words. "He would never care about a girl like me," she said to herself. She almost cried. "No. I can't cry. I won't cry. Not tonight. Not ever."  
  
It didn't help that thoughts of her old friends from junior high kept popping back up in her mind. It had been nine years since she last talked to them. The three of them had started high school together. But then, mid-year, she realized what she wanted to do with her life: act. She had always had a passion for performing. And her bit in "Rosen's Deal" didn't hurt, either. What she really treasured was fame. Maybe if she was famous, he would care.  
  
Elizabeth sighed once more. "Him again. Why can't I stop thinking about him?"  
  
After only about a month of searching, she found an agent. Her name was Mrs. Applebee and she looked more like a Kindergarten teacher than an agent. She found some decent jobs, but she never thought that she was quite "right" for those roles. Until one day at the end of January. Mrs. Applebee called the McGuire residence screaming "I'VE GOT THE PERFECT ROLE FOR YOU!" It was a fairly main character named Juliet in a romantic comedy titled "Over The Mountain". The only problem was, she had to move to New York City. She promised her best friends that she would be back in about 8 months, and they couldn't have been happier for her. But after the movie was all done and over with, Mr. and Mrs. McGuire announced the horrible news. "We've decided to stay here in New York, honey." She begged and pleaded for days on end, but they wouldn't budge. She'd have to start a new life in this big city  
  
It hurt her to think about what her friends would say if they knew that she had lied to them. She even convinced herself that she didn't need them anymore. She could start a new life. New friends. New...everything.  
  
"And here I am." She was back in Hillridge. What would she say? What would she do? Would they still hate her?   
  
Elizabeth bit her lower lip, grabbed her purse, and ran out the door.  



	2. Before the Reunion: Miranda's Story

Miranda shook her head at herself. "Augh, that's not it either." 

She crunpled up the paper and nearly tore out every strand of her shoulder-length black hair. Taking a break from her writing, Miranda pulled back her hair into a lazy bun. She lied in bed to rest her head, not caring that she was wrinkling up her favorite cotton skirt. 

"Who's going to care anyway? He never did, so why would things change now?" she thought aloud.

She picked up her diary and flipped to the front of it. She hadn't written in it since she was in 8th grade, until a few months ago, when she got her first big break. She read one of her entries.

April 27, 2001

Dear Diary,

Oh my GOSH! I'm so excited!!! Mrs. Stebel announced today that we are starting a new project: we'd be paired up with a boy for a pretend marriage and then have to report on how everything went. It sounded pretty lame, but do you know how cool "Mrs. Ethan Craft" sounds? Yep, Ethan Craft is my husband for the week! Could I be ANY luckier? But I sort of can't stop thinking about him...

Miranda remembered that whole predicament and was about to laugh, before she read the last line. The smile disappeared and she took a deep breath. Her mind drifted away towards thoughts of...him. 

It had been 6 years since she last spoke with him. She had been going to school with him for as long as she could remember. But she never liked him "like that" until 7th grade. She noticed so many things that she had never noticed before: his charm, his smile. Everything about him was just perfect. "But I never acted on my crush because...because....ugh."

Her life, she thought, was falling apart right in front of her. Her band of 7 years, Magic Train, is going nowhere and on the verge of breaking up, she's almost positive her fiance is cheating on her, and she doesn't even have a friend to talk about this with.

"If only she had stayed," Miranda sighed. She scribbled a quick note on the piece of scratch paper, stuffed it in her pocket, and walked out the door.

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How do you like my story so far? I'd like to say something, but I'd really hate to reveal everything. I think that even if I gave a little bit away, you'd all figure it out. I think I'm going to update pretty much everyday, maybe more if I'm feeling generous, heh. Thanks, and please leave your comments!


	3. Before the Reunion: Gordo's Story

"Mr. Gordon? 'Ellllo, Mr. Gor-don?"

David squinted his eyes tiredly and set them on his television, which he had left on all day. He yawned and stretched, as if he were about to get out of bed, but his weakness overtook him again, and he almost dozed off,before

"'ELLO? MR. GOR-DON? AH YOU THEY-A?"

"Go away," he said, more unconsciously than rudely.

"OhKAY but I am leaving for deh night," the overweight Mexican maid replied.

"Fine, have fun, Gustava," he said sarcastically. She was about to walk out the dor when he remembered something. "Gustava! Wait! What time is it, exactly?" he yelled from his bedroom.

"Eet iz ahlmost 5 oh cloak, why do you ahsk?"

"Uh, no reason." She rolled her eyes and walked out the door, locking it behind her.

No reason. Yeah righ, he thought. 

He had received the letter a month ago. Tonight was the night of his junior high's 10th anniversary reunion. At first he wanted to shove the invitation down a paper shredder. 

"Those people don't care about me," he had thought. "Reunions ar supposed to be happy occasions. This would just suck." But something told him he should save it. He hesitantly complied with this "inner voice", and left it on his desk.

And tonight was that night. But there he was, miles and miles away from them. His frends.

No, they're not my friends. How could they be my friends? My friends are my co-workers, the important people. They're the people who matter. Not those imposters. How could they do that to someone that really cares for you?

Immediately after they hd left, he couldn't have cared less. But then it hit like a ton of bricks. He had no friends. He had never given it much thought before, but those girls were his only refuge. 

From then on, thinking about them hurt. It was like a knife stabbing through hi heart. And he knew that he should hate them, but he couldn't, and wouldn't. And it hurt more. All those times they claimed to be trying to "protect" him, when they were really just being nosy. But he understood now.

He held back laughter thinking about wen he went out with Brooke, and the whole predicament. The temporary popularity was cool, and all the attention. But he knew the real reason behind it. It was revenge. He wanted her to know how it felt for him. All she talked about was Ethan. Ethan, Ethan Ethan. 

What about me?

But he never got a chance to tell her how he felt. She had already moved on. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, everything.

He had to tell her.

He grabbed his jacket and headed towards the train station.

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[Note: I'm really sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. I've been meaning to post this for a while but I've been busy. First of all, if you're trying to figure out who likes who, I suggest yu think a little bit outside the box, because I hate being predictable. I just want to mention that this will probably be the last prologue of the story. But I'm very spontaneous, so you never know. I have many new story ideas, so there may be even more tme between chapters. I apologize for this inconvenience! Anyway, please leave comments, good or bad. Thanks. Oh, and I've been having uploading problems, I know the chapters having been showing up. I have a Mac and Microsoft Word confuses me. But I'm hopig this will work now.]


	4. Some Things Never Change

Principal Tweedy giggled giddily. 

  
"Oh, I LOVE reunions!" he yelled at himself while throwing confetti up into the air.

Mr. Escobar stood in the doorway and cleared his throat.

"Oh, Mr. Escobar." The principal cleared his throat, as well. "Just uh, testing the confetti."

"Right." He paused. "Do you happen to know where Mr. Dig went?"

Mr. Dig suddenly popped up from behind the refreshment table, taking a bite out of a sugar cookie. 

"Mm, nice. Who made these?"

"I did! " Principal Tweedy giggled, before realizing who he was in the room with. "Erm, so anyway, Mr. Dig"

"Actually, it's Father Dig now," he grinned.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Remember, I'm always here for you, friend," he sympathized.

Father Dig opened up his mouth to explain, but decided it was better to just shut up. Mr. Escobar just shook his head.

"Shouldn't the kids be here by now? It's 5 to 7:00," Mr. Escobar said.

"I'll check!" the hyperactive principal squealed, while skipping to the gym doors. He threw open the doors, and only oneperson stood there.

"Yo! I been waitin' here for like, an hour. 'Bout time you opened the door." He leaned against the door, wearing dark sunglasses, tight denim jeans, and a mischievious grin that only the devil could love. Very James Dean-esque. Except for his pathetically puny build.

"Are you lost, little boy?" Principal Tweedy inquired.

"Outta my way, old man. This is MY reunion."

Thinking he was somebody's son, Mr. Escobar rolled his eyes and said, "Let him through, Tweedy." The principal began to protest, but before he could say anything, the little rascal had already squeezed in and stuffed his pockets full of cookies.

Soon enough, young adults piled in one by one. They sat down at their tables and socialized. Almost all were completely recognizable.

At around 7:20, the band came in, set up, and started playing.

"What, are you kiddin'? A JAZZ BAND?" The kid complained.

"Isn't it past your bedtime, little boy?"

"As annoying as thatthing is, Mr. Tweedy, I have to agree. What were you thinking?!" Mr. Escobar piped in.

"I assumed they would have developed some taste by NOW. They are older, you know."

"Yes, but they're not that old."

"Yes, I suppose that's true." They both stared off into space for a few seconds. Principal Tweedy snapped back into reality a couple seconds later.

"But as for YOU, little boy" He turned around, but the kid had already wandered away.

Everyone's attention was quickly turned to the tall blonde young woman, dressed completely in various shades of pink, who smiled gloriously as she took the first step into the wonderfully decorated gym. It was as if an angel was in their presence.

The anonymous child walked up to her, his doey eyes glowing.

"Do you.remember me?" He spoke in a light and airy tone; the exact opposite of before.

"Ugh, get away, you little dweeb." The angelic façade had been shattered.

"Good to know that some things never change," Mr. Escobar muttered under his breath. "Kate Sanders, how have you been all these years?"

"Oh, I've been just lovely! I'm a news reporter up in Oregon, and everything there is just so lovely!"

Everyone put on their best fake smile and pretended to be interested.

"Ugh, looks like I'm the only popular person here."

"But" the mysterious boy said. 

"Save it, freak. I'm going to fix my makeup now. And if I were you, I'd stop bothering me. You're already getting on my nerves." She held up her purse and marched angrily away to the bathroom.

As soon as Kate made her way to the bathroom, the doors bust open again.

"Heyy, EVERYBODAY!"

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[A/N: Don't you just love cliffhangers? A warning: expect a lot of them. I'm cruel and unusual like that. I'm sorry this chapter was sort of boring, since it didn't have any of the main characters in it, but I think it was necessary. I wish I could just get to the point of the story but that would defeat the purpose. Anyhow, my new rule: if I don't write a new chapter within a week, then I'll only give myself 6 days for the next one. Then if I miss the 6 day deadline, then it's 5. And so on. I think it's fair to me, and to you. Please review. I won't base how much I write on how many reviews I get, because that's stupid. I like writing and I'd write even if I didn't get reviews, but I'd like to know what you think about it. But do realize that the more positive things you write, the more inclined I will be to write more often. Ha, no, just kidding. Write whatever you want.]


	5. Two Different Worlds

It was Larry Tudgeman. But he wasn't dressed in his usual filthy, stain-ridden shirt that he wore for God knows how many years. He was sporting a tuxedo to this formal affair. As strange as it seemed, Larry almost lookeddecent. All the young women in the room stared, and---could it be? Were they _drooling_? I guess it was a well-known fact that Larry Tudgeman was the wealthiest man in California and owned a franchise of country clubs that spread throughout the western United States, but this still WAS Larry Tudgeman.

One short, red-headed girl walked nervously up to him. "So, Larry, umdo youhave a girlfriend?" She smiled sweetly at him.

Suddenly, a tall, curvy black girl stepped forward and grabbed hold of Larry's left hand.

"Hi, baby," she giggled. She gave the girl a dirty look. "Who are you?" she sneered.

Larry came to her defense. "She was just uh, asking for an autographright?" He grinned an earnest grin.

Near tears, the girl replied. "Nevermind, I don'thave apen." He walked back to her girlfriends, dejectedly.

Kate sauntered back into the gym, still expecting to be the center of attention. When Larry's unnamed girlfriend noticed her, she scoffed. 

"Kate Sanders, how nice to see you," she said in a rude, sarcastic tone.

Kate lowered her eyes. "Look who's joined the party--Miss Claire Miller. Or should I say 'Mrs. Claire Tudgeman'?"

"I'm gonna get you, you little bit"

Mr. Escobar cut her off. "Girls, girls, let's all calm down now and have a good time, is that alright with you?"

Kate and Claire cooled off---for now.

The nameless boy ran over to her, breathless. "CLAIRE! CLAIRE! It's me..."

"Ugh, the last thing I need right now is some little pipsqueak bothering me. Why don't you just go play with your little toy train, or something?" She stomped off to a table in the corner, dragging Larry with her. Herds of people were still piling in, trying to get this party started.

Then he came to the door. Ethan Craft. 

But Ethan wasn't in his usual friendly mood. He looked as if he went to the reunion against his will. He shuffled his feet and stared at the ground as he walked. When Kate turned around and saw him, she felt a rush of excitement. Kate had never admitted it to anyone, but she had had a massive crush on him---even after he was disowned by all the other popular guys in 10th grade. But a deep sadness overtook her when she thought of those times. Ethan had turned to her, asked her to be his helping hand, but in fear of ruining her reputation, she avoided the "loser". 

But even someone as selfish as Kate still had a heart. She didn't want people to know. Know that she had changed. She was more concerned about people remembering that she was popular than leaving the impression that she was a kind person. She wanted to be a different Kate, but she didn't want to come to grips with the fact that all of those years of being popular were to go to waste. Kate found herself staring at him. He was sitting with his post-10th grade friends, just talking. It's hard to believe, but for Kate, it wasn't always about the looks or the popularity. Ethan had something special, that only she understood. He may not have been the smartest guy, but he was never mean. Of course, he was popular, and he held his own, but he never looked down upon anyone. Ever.

Kate sighed. _Looks like I have no friends,_ she thought. She debated trying to reconcile with Ethan, but she put herself in his position. _I would never forgive me._

~~~~~

Lizzie took her seat. It was almost 8:00. The reunion wouldn't last forever. She had to go, sooner or later. Just to check up on people. See how they were. That's all she really wanted to do. If she ran into her friends, she couldn't speak to them. They would hate her, and she knew it. She sipped on her strawberry smoothie. The Digital Bean. This place held so many memories for her; she was surprised it was still around.

Every kid that walked by her stared. Her waitress even remarked, "Aren't you a little old to be here?" Lizzie just rolled her eyes at that.

__

If only things were more simple. She laid her head down on the cold wooden table.

A finger tapped her on the shoulder. 

"Lizzie?"

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[A/N: I've been reading so many evil stories with evil cliffhangers, so I'm doing the same to all of you. I apologize if this wasn't a very good chapter, because I wasn't too enthusiastic about writing it, but I had promised a couple people that I would post it tonight. I'm never making any promises again, blah. The other thing about this chapter was that I had good ideas but I didn't know how to expand on them. And please note that this is just the beginning of strange things that will be happening throughout the reunion. Feel free to ask questions about the story, oranything, really. Except what's going to happen. And feel free to make predictions.

Most people write that they know where they want to end up in their story, but they're not sure how they're going to get there yet. Well, I'm not even sure where I'm going with this. I'm just going with the flow. I think it makes it more realistic. That's just me, though.

I wanna know what you think. Even if you don't have anything to say about it, just leave me a review to let me know that you read it. Ha. Thanks.]


	6. The Truth

[Personal Notes:

**The Real Xenocide:** Heh, heh, heh. Chapter 5 was an amusing chapter for me to write. Because I figured most people would think it was one of the people that entered that chapter. But nope. A clue: You need to know "Lizzie McGuire" pretty well to know him. That's all I'm gonna say! If you stopped mid-sentence in Chapter 11, that would beargh! Some people overuse cliffhangers. I'm so hypocritical. But sometimes I like to stop at a sad moment. Because sad moments are, in a sense, cliffhangers. Except you're not wondering what will happen. You're wondering how the person will react. I will take a second to applaud those who make cliffhangers, because without them, the story would be pretty horrible. But what can I say? Patience is a virtue. A virtue I do not possess.

**To All Who Want To Know Who The Mystery Guy Is:** Check back in a couple months. Ha, no, I'm just kidding. But honestly, his name probably won't be revealed until the very end of the story. Which, considering I'm on Chapter 6, will take a while.]

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Lizzie turned around in her chair. She looked up, with sleepy eyes, at the person staring down at her.

"Miranda?!" she said, cowering back into her seat. _Oh God, I really don't want to cause a scene here._

Miranda took the seat next to Lizzie. There were a few awkward seconds before Miranda shattered the silence.

"So how have you been?" she asked of her friend. She had asked Lizzie this question at least a thousand times in their lifetimes, but this time, she could say she honestly wanted to know the answer.

Lizzie still refused to make eye contact with her old best friend. She half-smiled when she said, "I've been great. How about you?"

Miranda tried to look cheerful, but she was disappointed. _That's not the Lizzie I know. The Lizzie I know always has something on her mind. The Lizzie I know is never just "great". _ Were things between the two that bad, that they couldn't even tell the truth to one another? 

"Miranda? You still there?" Lizzie waved her hand in front of her friend's face. Miranda was so lost in her own whirlwind of thoughts that she'd forgotten to respond.

"Oh, I um" she wanted to blurt out everything: about her band, her fiancé, even the crush from high school that she was still getting over. "I'm fantastic," she said, trying her best to sound enthusiastic. _The truth will come outeventually._

Lizzie smiled weakly. She saw right through Miranda. 

These girls were like sisters, and knew each other like the backs of their hands, but neither of them were brave enough to call the other's bluff.

More awkward seconds. _Maybe I should just go,_ Miranda thought.

The feeling in the pit of Lizzie's stomach was eating her up inside. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Miranda" Her friend looked up. "I" Miranda wore hope all over her face. That's when Lizzie knew: things would be okay with them. "I've missed you so much."

Miranda beamed, and threw her arms around her best friend. "I've missed you more than you know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the gym, tension was building up. The "nerds" had showed up.

It wasn't until their senior year in high school that Larry broke away from his usual "clique". He thought he could make it without them, but in truth, he was even more of a nothing than when he was with them. But he had betrayed them, could they let him back in? Well, yes. But they never fully forgave him. And when they all decided to stay at home and live with their parents for the four years after high school, Larry applied to Harvard, and got in. And he had just finished his last year at Harvard Business School. He hadn't even seen his old friends in 6 years.

And they still weren't ready to forgive him.

In one corner of the gym, there was a brawl of words between Larry and his former friends.

"You broke the fellowship, Larry," one boy, who seemed to be the new leader of the pack since Larry left, proclaimed, and stomped away.

Larry was left with a guilty conscience.

At the same moment, a catfight broke out in the other corner of the gym.

Kate smiled evilly. "So what's the baby's name, Claire?"  


Claire scoffed. "What are you talking about?"

"Larry Tudgeman, Jr. It hasn't a certain ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Whatever."

"So, just how long have you loooved him, Claire Miller?"

"I knew you were stupid, but I didn't realize you were that dense." Kate squinted in confusion. Claire rolled her eyes. "Larry Tudgeman is going to be a billionaire one day. Think about it, freak."

It took her a second, but Kate realized. "Ugh. An all-time low. I'm so proud, Claire." Kate turned around to go tell Larry.

Claire laughed. "Do whatever you want. He thinks I'm so in love with him that he refuses to think otherwise. Face it, Kate: You can't bring me down."

"Who do you think you are, Claire? God?! I hate you! No one likes you! You are such a" Kate screamed.

"Oops," Claire giggled.

Kate was bawling. "This was a new blouse, too!" Claire had "accidentally" poured the whole bowl full of punch over Kate's head.

"Aww, poor baby," Claire laughed.

Kate ran to the bathroom once again, holding back her tears.

Ethan called after her. "Kate!"

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[A/N: ::Laughs an evil laugh:: Yes, the joys of anticipation. My new thing: if the cliffhanger in the last chapter wasn't much of a cliffhanger, the chapter will come quicker than if it were an extremely annoying cliffhanger. Does that make sense? Oh, if you could be so kind, please point out any of my annoying writing habits, especially when I overuse a word. I try to use my thesaurus, but sometimes there's only one word htat really works. Please tell me what you think! Thank youu.]


	7. Real Friends

Kate couldn't have cared less who was running after her. All that mattered to her was herself at that moment. She hated to sound so self-centered, but that's all she needed to care about. If she hadn't spend so much of her life trying to please people, maybe she could've been happy. And all those years would mean something

She huddled in the corner and slid down the wall. When she finally sat down on the cold granite floor, there was nothing left to do but cry. She lowered her head and hid behind her long, tangled hair, and sobbed pitifully. 

"HHey, K-Kate." 

~~~~~~~

After Kate wasn't visible anymore, the rest of the gym semi-normally went back to their conversations. After all, most of them had suspected something like that would happen. But Claire wasn't about to get over it (she was still giggling), but evidently, neither was Larry. 

"Claire, _why _would you do that?" Larry demanded of her.

"Ugh, I wasn't aware tonight was Kate's pity party. It's not like she was ever your _friend,_" she argued.

"Yeah, she wasn't. But she was _yours._" He shook his head in disappointment. The fight between Claire and Kate made him realize that he needed his old friends as much as they needed him. Without his friends, who was he? He was famous, but why did that matter so much to people? He needed to go talk to his friends, his true friends. "I'll be over there," he said, pointing to the table in the opposite corner of the gym. "Let me know when you decide to stop being oblivious." He marched away.

Claire stood speechless. She peered down into the empty punch bowl, still in her hands. She could see her reflection.

~~~~~~~

"What do _you _want?" Kate sneered. When she heard no reply, she looked up. There was Ethan, standing there, hands in his pockets, trying his best not to look too concerned. Kate couldn't understand. Why was he here? Ethan, of all people. She noticed that he stood almost _too_ far away from her. Did she really make him that uncomfortable?

"I just uh, wanted to know if you weregoing to be okay, you know?" He fidgeted around.

Kate looked around the hallway. The school hadn't changed much in those 10 years. _Junior high,_ she thought. As her eyes wandered on, they were brought to a halt. For a brief second, Kate and Ethan locked eyes, and in that tiny moment, everything was okay again. They were back in junior high. They were young, innocent, maybe even a little naïve. But as reality came back to them, she looked at him again. This nervous, stumbling boy in front of her. This wasn't Ethan Craft. Ethan Craft was the most popular boy in school, the one everyone wanted, the guy who just emanated confidence. _That was then. This is now. _She sighed. 

"Ethan.what happened?" she whispered. She knew perfectly well what had happened. But she couldn't bear to make herself look like more of a fool, saying sorry and not being forgiven.

He smiled to himself. "Well, you see, Claire dumped a bowl of punch over your head" Kate looked down at her sopping wet, now-red shirt. Looking back on it, it actually was sort of funnyshe smiled. But as soon as she finally appreciated the humor, his face had already turned sour.

"You knowI just.I just don't know. Things got weird, and" Part of Kate yearned to hear what we thought, and what he felt. But another part told her that talking about it would just make him hate her more. Apprehensively, she opted to let him continue.

"I understand why you did what you did, Kate." That confidence from long ago poked up through the shy outer shell. "You were meant to be popular, and I just.you know.wasn't." Kate couldn't take it anymore. She had some things she needed to get off her chest. It wasn't the right place. It wasn't the right time. But then why did it feel so right?

"Ethan, I never wanted to be popular. I had friends: Lizzieand Mirandaand Gordo. They were my real friends," she paused for a sniffle, "andI didn't need popularity. I was happy, andI could've said no then. Seventh grade, I could've said no, and nothing would be said about it again. But then I wasI was a snob, because that's how I thought I should act. I wish I had realized it then. By the time I did, it was too late. I was in too deep." Tears were falling down her cheeks. "By then, my real friends were gone. They didn't care. The popular people didn't care. All I ever wanted to do was get out of Hillridge, and start a new life, and be a new Kate Sanders." She inhaled, and recollected herself. "When you asked me for advice in 10th grade, I didn't know what to do, or think. You were the only person to ever care for me, and"

Ethan sat down next to her. Without thinking, he hugged her. She hugged him back, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

~~~~~~~

Lizzie and Miranda were practically rolling on the floor laughing. They were the loudest people in the Digital Bean, and the pre-teens around them continued to stare. They were talking about homecoming, freshman year, when everything went wrong. From the drunk limo driver to the cheap-o dresses they had bought that had ripped, to their dates, a couple of guys they called "dates", that ended up getting a little too close for comfortwith some other girls, to the goldfish someone put in the punch bowl, to the decorations someone had destroyed, to the DJ that decided to take an extra-long break and put "My Heart Will Go On" on repeat, that night was a mess. They had both cried afterwards, but they were still able to laugh about it, so many years later.

When they had both cooled off from all the laughter, Miranda piped in. "You know, it's almost 8:30. If we're gonna go, I think we should go now."

Lizzie made a face. She knew she'd have to do this eventually.

She sighed, grabbed her jacket, and walked out the door, for the second time this night.

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[A/N: Sorry for the long, long, long time without an update. So here's an super-long one just for youu!

A few things to think about: What's up with Claire? What's up with Kate and Ethan? And what's up with Lizzie?

Yeah, usually I like you people to be intelligent and think up your own questions, but I really want you to think. Please review. Muchos gracias.]


	8. Awkward Moments

Larry had made it sound so easy--just marching up to his old friends and sitting down. _If only it were that easy,_ he thought. He felt like a hypocrite, preaching to Claire about being true to your friends, when he himself was the one who ditched his friends for no particular reason. He stood about 20 feet away from their table, watching their every move. How could he approach them? It was almost ironic--these unpopular people, being unapproachable. He longed to talk to them. He was selfish, that's what he was. It wasn't even about going to college and being richer than them. It was the fact that he had left them. Left his real friends for his own stupid reasons. _What's life without friends?_ Then, he answered his own question. _Lonely._ He marched right up to the table of his former friends.

~~~~~~~

"I really like your haircut, Lizzie," Miranda said, trying to initiate some small talk to fill the void in their conversation.

"Really?" Lizzie said, stroking her short blonde locks, "I thought it was toobabyish". She looked at her reflection in the window. She frowned. _I look like a three-year old._ Miranda turned to face her friend for a second.

"No way. You look so adorable," Miranda said, earnestly. The green light came, and she turned her eyes back to the road. _She hasn't lost it,_ Lizzie thought. _She still knows how to make me smile._

~~~~~~~

" Larry, I thought I told you" Scott stood up as he saw his ex-friend approaching.

"Scott, will you just give me a chance?" Larry pleaded.

"Fine. You have a minute." Scott looked at his watch. "You have one minute. Go."

"Listen, guys, you have to believe me when I say that my life is pathetic without you. Yes, I'm Lawrence Tudgeman, III. Yes, I'm the richest man in California. But if I don't have any friends, who really cares? You guys are my friends, you guys are everything I care for, and if you won't let me hang around with you anymore, then I'll move on and we'll pretend nothing every happened. But I'mI'm just sorry," Larry stomped away from the table, with tears forming in his eyes.

"What a jerk. We don't need him anyway, right, guys?"

Silence.

"Rightguys?"

~~~~~~~

Kate and Ethan stood around the punch bowl. Here they were. They had just resolved everything. Everything they ever did was now forgiven and forgotten. Then why didn't they have anything to say to each other?

They gazed around the room at random objects, as if things around the room were actually interesting. Finally, the boy spoke.

"You know why reunions are so awkward?" He stared down at his sneakers. "Because the ages we're at right now. These are the ages that we're supposed to be self-centered. I think we have the right to be."

"You were always the smart one, Ethan." Kate just smiled. She wasn't kidding.

Ethan cracked up.

"Uhyou sure about that?"

Kate started to laugh, too.

"Okay, okay. You had your ummoments."

Just like before, they made eye contact, for a split second, before turning away in shame.

~~~~~~~

The mystery boy was downright pissed. No one here knew who he was. How could they not? Sure, sometimes he wasn't the most kind of all people, but he had a good heart. And good intentions.

He peered over to the gym doors. Here they came.

Lizzie McGuire and Miranda Sanchez, in all their glory, promenaded through those doors, arm in arm. _Were they still friends?_ the boy thought. They looked as gorgeous as ever, standing there, gleaming. 

__

It's worth a try, right? I mean, I've asked everyone else. Why not them?

So the mystery boy slid next to them when they were least expecting it.

"Hey, Lizzie! Miranda! Remember me?" He grinned.

Miranda stood, aghast.

"Oh my God. No way," she said.

Lizzie's mouth was hanging open, too.

"GORDO?!"

------------------------------------------

[A/N: Ooh, baby, I'm cruel! So is it Gordo? Or no? If you really wanna find out, you might wanna go read the from chapter four up until now, because I might've actually dropped a clue back then, andokay, that's all I'm going to say. This was sort of short. SORRY. Writer's block, my friend. Pleaseeee tell me what you think. Thank you.]


	9. A Nobody

"Gordo? No, I'm not Gordo!" The still-anonymous boy let out a frustrated scream that caught everyone's attention.

He chuckled nervously, and his face turned a deep shade of red.

"Oh, sorry, um, I guess I didn't get a very good look at you," Miranda apologized. Now she was the one who felt embarrassed. "This is going to sound rude" she paused. "But who are you?"

"It's me" He was cut short.

"Lizzie! Miranda! How have you girls been doing?" It was Claire who was walking towards them, feigning kindness, as usual.

"A nice Claire Miller? Nobody's that thick-headed. What do you want with us now?" Miranda sounded like she'd been in the same situation a thousand times before.

"Oh, silly, silly Miranda. What's done is done. High school and junior high---it's all behind us now. All the pain I've caused you and our friendsI am deeply sorry." She stuck out her bottom lip. "Do you forgive me?"

Miranda flinched. There was a tinge of sincerity in Claire's words. _What? Claire's never been honest before. Why would she start now?_

Lizzie looked over at her friend. She was moving her mouth in every which way, but nothing came out.

"Wellyou know" Lizzie stared. Miranda still made no noise.

A tall figure stepped in front of them.

"No, they don't forgive you."

~~~~~~~

Larry sat on the steps outside the gym, silently basking in self-hatred. A brisk evening breeze blew against his left cheek.

He'd thought people would be more mature now, and recognize their own faults. He'd thought all grudges were let go of when they graduated high school. _We are in our 20s. Isn't it time to let go?_ Larry sighed. _Maybe I'm a hypocrite. Maybe I'm the one who's wrong. Maybe I'm the one who needs to let go._

Larry heard the gym door squeaking behind him. He flipped around to see Ethan standing there, look as shy as ever.

"HeyLarry."

~~~~~~~

"Excuse me, Kate, but did I ask you?" Claire said, her eyes glaring at her old foe.

"Whether you asked me or not, the answer is still no," Kate retorted.

Meanwhile, Lizzie and Miranda were slowly backing away.

"Um, did we start this?" Lizzie whispered to her best friend.

"I don'tthink so," Miranda whispered back.

Kate and Claire stood so close to each other that they could hear each other's breathing. 

"I think Lizzie and Miranda re old enough to make their own decision by now," Claire giggled.

I don't care. They don't forgive you," Kate said, gaining more confidence in herself. Claire rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. It's not like I seek their approval' or anything. I just thought maybe one of us should be the bigger man in this situation. You geeks still have the mindset of a 10-year old. And as for you, Kate," Claire said, laughing, "do you actually think those two are going to forgive you? After you treated them so horribly? If I was them, I'd never forgive you"

"Oh, but of course, you were always a best friend to me, right, Claire? You were so caring that I should forgive you on the dot, right, Claire?" Kate yelled.

Claire scoffed.

"I don't recall ever saying I was sorry."

"It doesn't matter. I don't forgive you now and I don't think I ever will. I don't think anyone will forgive you. You might've been popular, Claire, but popularity only gets you so far."

"Don't even go there, Kate. You were popular, too, and you snubbed just as many people as I did."

"Fine, maybe I did, but at least I've changed."

"Haven't you realized that it doesn't matter? When someone's first impression of you is that you are a snob, it lasts. Forever."

Kate rolled her eyes and began to walk away.

Claire yelled after her.

"Face it, Kate! Without me, you're a nobody! A nonentity! A loser."

Kate turned around slowly, and taking a second to breathe in, said

"Maybe I am."

She grabbed Lizzie and Miranda by their hands and stomped away.

~~~~~~~

Flashing red and blue lights. An ambulance. Nearly 5 miles of traffic.

__

Oh great, he thought. _Just make me even later, why don't you?_

He glanced at the bright green numbers next to his radio.

__

9:17. I'm not even going to make it in time. I'm going to be stuck in this traffic for another 3 hours.

Gordo stared out at all the lights surrounding him. Yellow, red, blue, green. It was something most people ignored, but it was times like this that he'd just sit back and just to appreciate some beauty in the world. Even though there wasn't much beauty to begin with.

It was then that he faintly heard one of his favorite songs. An oldie, but a goodie. He turned up his radio and san along with John Mellencamp. Sure, he didn't have the best voice in the world, but he never cared what people thought about him, anyway.

"Oh yeah, life goes onlong after the thrill of living is gone"

-------------------

[A/N: I'm so happy I got this finished! As I wrote in a note for Chapter 5 of "Obituaries", I just finished my drama play and I've been so excited and crazy lately. I can't believe I haven't updated this story in over 2 weeks.

Yes, mystery boy ain't Gordo. I was surprised to see that so many people thought it was. Sorry to keep you waiting so long. Please, please, PLEASE review and let me know what you think of this story, particularly this chapter. Thanks!]


	10. Turn Your Back On Me

  
Larry mumbled incoherently.  
  
Ethan approached the steps, skeptically. After all, this was Larry Tudgeman. And he might not have been mean to him, but he ignored him. Which was probably much worse.  
  
Ethan took a seat on the step, a good foot from Larry. They sat uncomfortably in an awkward minute of silence. _Why am I here? _Ethan thought to himself.  
  
He couldn't stomach the stillness any longer. He glanced over at Larry a number of times, but he still said nothing. He just stared longingly up into the sky, like he was studying the stars. _Why won't he say anything? I'm trying to be nice here.  
  
_You know, what, Tudgeman? If you don't want to say anything, then fine. You can stay out here, friendless, as usual. With that, Ethan stomped back through the gym doors, back to the reunion.   
  
Larry, silently, but defiantly, started down the road. The road to nowhere.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Kate, her cheeks still tear-stained and her eyes still bloodshot, faked a smile as she sat across the table from her former friends, Lizzie and Miranda.   
  
So, what's new, girls?  
  
Lizzie squeaked.  
  
  
  
How's the family?  
  
Miranda said, with a tinge of sarcasm in her voice.  
  
  
  
Got boyfriends?  
  
Lizzie said.  
  
Miranda replied.  
  
Where do you guys live now?  
  
Miranda stood up, boldly going where no man (or woman, or child, for that matter) has ever gone before: to defy Kate.  
  
What is this, the third degree? Miranda yelled.  
  
The tears coming back to her eyes, Kate spoke again.  
  
Miranda, please sit down. She reluctantly agreed. Lizzie, Miranda...I know I haven't been that nice to you in the past few years.  
  
Ha! Understatement of the year, Miranda remarked. Kate ignored the comment.  
  
But I really want to make it up to you. I'd do anything. I really love you guys, and I've realized a lot in past hour, not to mention, the last few years. And...  
  
Miranda scoffed.  
  
Kate, we wouldn't accept your apology if you payed us. You were horrible to us, end of story. No questions asked, Miranda proclaimed, grabbing Lizzie's hand as she tried her best to walk calmly away from the table.  
  
Kate hid her face in her hands as she bawled her eyes out.   
  
A soft voice came up from behind her.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
When the two girls reached the bathroom, Lizzie was ready to strangle her best friend.  
  
Miranda, what was that? she screeched.  
  
What was what? Miranda said, nonchalantly.  
  
You didn't have to yell at Kate like that. She's already depressed enough as it is.  
  
Miranda turned to her friend.  
  
Years of torture, grief, and nothing but pain, and you want to forgive her...like that?  
  
I know you never liked her that much in the first place, but we were friends at one point, you know.  
  
That just makes it worse. We were friends and she left us in the dust, Miranda said, while applying more lip gloss.  
  
Lizzie grabbed the lip gloss tube out of her friend's hands and threw it at the wall.  
  
That's not the point! We were friends! And maybe I wanted to forgive her!  
  
Well, maybe you should've said something!  
  
If you weren't such an obnoxious, controlling jerk, maybe I could've!  
  
Well if you weren't such a prissy little weakling, I'd let you talk once in a while!  
  
God, who are you, Miranda? You've turned into such a...  
  
A what? Come on, let me hear you say it.  
  
Lizzie said, unsure at first.  
  
I want to hear it. Say it, Lizzie. Say it. Miranda said, moving farther up in Lizzie's face.  
  
Lizzie said, this time more confident.  
  
Tell me, Lizzie, what am I? What am I?  
  
Suddenly, Lizzie exploded.  
  
GO TO HELL, MIRANDA.  
  
------------------------  
  
[A/N: Very little to be said. Double digit chapters, oooh, I'm happy. Go read A Summer To Remember by love-fool if you're not already because I love-love-LOVE it. And, of course, as always, I will advertise for TheRealXenocide. Go read No time to waste because it's the best fan fiction I've ever read. Point blank. Next to be updated: A Midweekend Night's Dream. You can probably expect an update tomorrow. Please let me know if you like my story so far. This wasn't one of my better chapters, i realize. But just review and let me know. Thanks.]


	11. Forgiveness?

Larry exhaled and saw his own breath pour out of his mouth. His hands were jammed in his pockets, and he was stumbling down the side of the road. Cars occasionally sped by him on the small suburban street, not caring enough to stop and ask him if he wanted a ride. _But I guess with all the psychos lurking around nowadays...  
  
_Nothing could justify how his old friends had treated him back at the reunion. But could anything justify the way he treated them years ago? The lies he told then, the mental grief he inflicted upon them. Did they even compare? He didn't feel like he deserve to be listened to, let alone acknowledged.  
  
Or were they all just overreacting? Was this whole thing blown completely out of proportion? Perhaps, Larry should've been forgiven six years ago.  
  
Another car came speeding down the road. The blinding headlights made the street shimmer in the dark of the night. But upon approaching Larry, the car noticeable slowed, and stopped completely next to the young man. The window rolled down.  
  
Need a ride, Larry?  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie stomped out of bathroom in a huff. One part of her knew Miranda deserved that. But she had to admit, there was a small corner of her brain that housed a bit of regret for her actions.   
  
~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, Miranda stood still back in the bathroom, her mouth agape and still dumbfounded by her so-called 's newfound confidence. But the real question was, was this something to be taken seriously? Was it a forgiveable misdemeanor, a spur-of-the-moment thing, or years and years of inner rage finally brought to the surface? The latter seemed a little extreme, almost unlikely. But maybe Lizzie stopped liking Miranda a long time ago. Maybe that's even why she left back when they were seniors in high school. For once, Miranda knew she had to do something quickly, or she could lose her best friend.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Claire roamed the gym alone, mingling with the other elitists of their high school days, who hadn't changed one bit. The same popular people with their same atittudes. But something didn't feel right. Larry's words remained in her head, floating but never exactly making a big impression. Nothing seemed to make a big impression, until she turned around and saw Brooke Baker with a few of her friends.  
  
Hey, Claire, she said, a grin forming on her face. What's up?  
  
Nothing much, girlfriend. Things have been so tough lately. With my new mansion, and all...  
  
Brooke said, stifling giggles, is it true that you're dating...Larry Tudgeman?   
  
As much as Claire knew Larry was an abnormal freak, she had gotten to know him a little better. And the exasperated tone of Brooke's voice turned Claire defensive.  
  
Yeah, so what if I am? she retorted. Then an amusing thought flowed back into her mind. At least I didn't go out with Gordo back in 7th grade. Brooke sneered, but she came prepared to deal with comments about that.  
  
I'd rather go out with Gordo than Tudgeman anyday. At least Gordo is like...somewhat normal. He is practically the epitome of freakiness.  
  
_How can anyone say anything like that about Larry? He's so compassionate and caring and loving and helpful...oh my God. Am I falling for Tudgeman?  
  
_~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie sat down and plopped her purse onto the table in front of her. She stared over at a few couples dancing on the dance floor. And for a split second, she wished she had that. She wished she had settled down a while ago with someone...like that guy she met in New York, Kevin. He was so sweet, but then one day, he just...left. _Now I know how it feels._  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a tall, blonde girl just standing there. Lizzie turned to her.  
  
Yes, Kate? she said, annoyed more with the situation than with the person. Kate's face went sour, but she sighed to calm herself down.  
  
Look, I know it's really not a good time right now, but I need to talk to you.  
  
she said, reluctantly, crossing her arms across her chest.  
  
First of all, I...heard the fight. Was it my fault? Kate said. How could Lizzie respond negatively to such a sincere question?  
  
Lizzie looked up to see Kate in all her earnesty, and couldn't help but tell the truth. Not entirely. It was lots of things.  
  
Lizzie, I know that Miranda doesn't want to forgive me. But do you think, maybe, you could? That would at least be a start on this long list of people to apologize to.  
  
  
  
Kate's eyes were begging, pleading for absolution. But thinking back to their junior high days...could Lizzie ever?  
  
-------------------  
  
[A/N: I would've liked to write more, but I am really *bleeping* pissed right now, because I'm going to be up all *bleeping* night because I have this stupid library project on the Algonquin Indians due TOMORROW and my partner, Patty, just assigned all these things for me to do for the paper. Oh my God, I want to *bleeping* kill someone right now. Especially since I did all this research with Patty in school, and now she has all the info and AHHHHHHHHHH! I am so angry.  
  
Sorry to those who asked if I could advertise for them in my stories. See, I would, but then I'd feel like I'd have to advertise for everyone, and there might be a story that I don't like and then I wouldn't want to advertise for it and I'd feel bad for blantantly dissing your story like that. You follow? LoL, yeah, so, blah.  
  
I will forever despise the Algonquin Indians. No, sorry, that's not nice. I hate Miss Torpey, the librarian. She's an old hag and she can go die. Do I sound evil? I'm not usually this evil. I'm just really, really pissed off.  
  
Anyway, did you like this chapter? I can't say I did. But I'm trying to go for quality rather than quantity, that's why I didn't finish it last night like I said. I'm so happy that I'm finally gonna get to write a chapter for . That'll be up, hopefully, by Thursday.  
  
Things to remember: Pollyanna gifts for Denny, nice clothing for the Social, and things for our homeroom table!  
  
Please reviewww. Thanks!]


	12. A New Old Day

Amidst the stuffy discomfort of the girls' bathroom stood Miranda, deep in thought. She was disappointed, to say the least. She'd come not expecting all these problems to arise, only expecting to sit by herself and perhaps, occasionally talk to people. And even if Lizzie and Gordo did arrive, she would ignore them as if they were any other insignificant people.  
  
But they weren't just any other people, and that fact was hard to ignore. They were her former best friends. Now she had screwed things up with Lizzie. _If Gordo shows up, am I going screw things up with him too?_  
  
She hoped not. They'd gone through the whole period together without Lizzie, in their last years of high school, and they'd gotten much closer than they had ever been before. Dangerously close.  
  
She couldn't think of that. Not yet. No one needed to know, especially not Lizzie. It was a mistake, all a big accident. Or so she thought.   
  
_Why does all of this come crashing down on me...now?  
  
_Miranda, in a state of panic, bolted against the girls' bathroom door with such force that she banged into the back of the head of a young man. Holding his head, he crumpled to the floor.  
  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
So, what have you seriously been up to, McGuire? Kate said, happily. It took a while, but she'd been forgiven. Oh, wait, don't tell me---you invented post-it notes.  
  
The girls shared a short laugh. _Wow,_ Lizzie thought. _She's practically bubbling with joy. Has she really been that lonely?_ Lizzie's smile quickly turned to look of concern and compassion. She smirked a little. _I think she has._  
  
Okay, I totally recognize that face, McGuire. What's up now? Kate remarked, smiling.  
  
Nothing. Just thinking, Lizzie responded, nonchalantly. Kate made a motion with her hand to continue, but Lizzie wasn't paying attention.  
  
Um, earth to McGuire? Kate said, waving her hands in front of Lizzie's face, who was staring off at some people dancing. You wanna expand on that?  
  
Just thinking about people, she said, nodding and trying to sound convincing. You know, like... she cringed at how horrible a liar she was. she said, which came out much more like a question than a statement.  
  
Any people in particular? she said with a wink. High school might've ended over 5 years ago, but Kate obviously hadn't lost her love of gossip.   
  
Are you trying to insinuate that I still have a crush on a boy from junior high? Lizzie said, again trying her best to play it off. Because the truth was, she did still have a crush on a boy from junior high. She knew it was sort of pathetic. Other girls her age were getting married, but she was still crushing on the same boy she had crushed on for God knows how many years. She couldn't help it.  
  
It's okay, Lizzie. I know who it is, Kate said, sympathetically. Lizzie kept forgetting all these years that this girl had been her friend at one point. And she'd always thought it was sort of obvious anyway.  
  
You do? Lizzie said, almost giving up. But just in case they were talking about different people, she asked, Who is it, then?  
  
she started, I don't want to say. Because there's always that 1% chance that I'm wrong. And I'd be really embarrassed, and you'd probably hate me forever, she joked. So will you tell me?  
  
This wasn't just telling a friend a secret. This was telling an ex-enemy a secret. Could she really start to trust Kate so quickly? It was like a mattter of life and death. Kate was known to be a blabbermouth, even before the popularity. She couldn't have him know. Besides, she wasn't even sure if he was coming.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Larry was laughing.  
  
The summer after 10th grade, Gordo went to a camp, a movie industry camp near Los Angeles. He'd been wanting to go ever since he read about in 6th grade, but he wasn't old enough. His parents thought maybe they could get the whole directing/filming thing out of his system this way (which it didn't). Somehow, Larry Tudgeman found out about Gordo going to the camp, and requested to be rooming with him. It was his worst nightmare at first, but it was one of the first times he'd actually had alone time with Larry. He was cool, he really was. Gordo thought Larry had always liked being an actor, but it was his parents who wanted him to be that. He wanted to be a scientist. Gordo just learned so much about him and they were great friends...at least, until the end of the summer.  
  
You want to explain again why you're walking down the side of the road this late? Gordo joked. Was the reunion really that bad?  
  
Nah, I just had some uh...bad experiences, Larry said, trying to forget everything that happened before.  
  
They drove along in silence for a while. Larry hadn't really walked that long, so they were almost there. There was a sense of tension in the air between the two. They both secretly wished it would end.  
  
Finally, the car came to a screeching hault. Larry opened his door and took a step out. He looked back at Gordo. He wasn't moving.  
  
So is the famous David Gordon actually going to make an appearance at the great Hillridge Junior High reunion? he asked.  
  
Yeah. I'll be there...soon. Larry smiled, and slammed the door shut.  
  
_Hopefully._  
  
----------------------------  
  
[A/N: Three updates in three days. Wow, thank God for Christmas break. Haha, get it, thank God for Christmas. Hm, okay, maybe I'm the only one who sees the humor in that.  
  
My computer is in the hallway, and I'm right next to the room where my brother and all his friends are watching various football games. Yeah, it's lot of fun to listen....not. This one kid keeps farting and getting a kick out of it. Oh man, I can smell it from here. Grody.  
  
I cannot take credit for the title of this chapter. It was an adaptation of a Good Charlotte lyric. I'm Good Charlotte-obsessed. Then again, I can't take credit for the titles of a lot of my chapters. Lots of them are lyrics.  
  
Whaddya think of this chapter? I think it was alright. My favorite part was the Lizzie/Kate interaction. Yay for that.  
  
I'm going to try to get the next chapter of A Midweekend Night's Dream up tomorrow.  
  
Let me know what you think: please revivew. Thanks!]


	13. So Wrong, Yet So Right

Claire turned her head to face the door. Standing there in the doorway was Larry, sullen, with a weak smile on his face. It was Claire he was smiling at. And oddly enough, she smiled back.  
  
As he approached her, she felt herself overcome with a sudden feeling of inadequacy. _This isn't how it should be. He should be the insecure one...not me._  
  
Hey, Claire, he said, his voice deep and husky. I just wanted to apologize about the stuff I said earlier. He sighed. Whatever happens between you and Kate--it's really none of my busiiness.  
  
she stumbled over her words, I mean, I forgive you. _I feel like such a big stumbling idiot._ You were right, anyway. I shouldn't be so rude to everyone. _Okay, where did that come from? I'll be mean to whoever I want to be mean to..._  
  
Wow, I am one lucky guy. He threw his arms around her. I have the most compassionate girlfriend in the world.  
  
But instead of pushing him away or brushing it off as she usually did, Claire hugged him back. Kate's words struck a nerve with her. How could she lie to this beautiful, honest human beiing? She let a tear escape from her eye.  
  
And I have the nicest boyfriend in the world.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie told her. She told Kate who she still had a crush on...a boy from junior high. _I am so going to regret this._  
  
Kate squealed. You like him? I totally thought you liked someone entirely different...  
  
Well, who did you think I liked? Lizzie questioned. Kate blushed.  
  
I can't tell. You'd think I was stupid, or something. I mean....it's really embarrassing.  
  
Let's make a deal. You promise to tell me at our 25th annual reunion, and I won't hit you right now.  
  
I'll consider it, Kate responded, as they both divulged into a fit of laughter.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Ethan, I'm so sorry about this. I didn't know you were standing there, and...well, I was just angry at someone.. Miranda apologized.  
  
he said.  
  
  
  
You're mad at Lizzie, aren't you? he asked bluntly.  
  
Miranda's expression became quizzical. But...how did you know?  
  
I was standing out there for a while, you know. Long enough, anyway, he said, smirking. So this is what the girls' room looks like, huh?  
  
Not exactly Ritz quality, if you know what I mean, Miranda laughed. She then took a paper towel, wet it with a cold water, and handed it to Ethan. Here ya go.  
  
he replied, as he placed it onto the bruise on the back of his head. If you don't mind me asking, what was the feud about? She sighed.  
  
Lots of things.  
  
Ethan responded, not expecting to really want to talk about it. But to his surprise (and hers), she spoke again.  
  
I don't even remember what it was about. God, it was such a stupid argument, she said, exasperatedly.  
  
he said, wringing his fingers, do you want to go somewhere and talk about it?  
  
she laughed, are willing to sit there and listen to me complain and jabber on about nothing--voluntarily?! He chuckled.  
  
Yeah, sure. I've got nothing else to do, he said as he made his way out the door.  
  
Wow, that makes me feel real specical, she sarcastically remarked, as she too pushed open the door to follow him.  
  
Sorry, I didn't mean it like that, he said.  
  
I know.  
  
As they walked down the dark hallways of Hillridge Junior High, it all felt so familiar, yet like a distant memory. The details were long forgotten, but the feelings were the same--you couldn't help but feel like you were still that vain young pre-teen again.  
  
Ethan began, do you feel it too?  
  
Feel what? she asked.  
  
he answered thoughtfully. Like we're still in Hillridge Junior High?  
  
Um, Ethan, sorry to burst your bubble, but we are still in Hillridge Junior High, Miranda stated with a hint of sarcasm hidden in her voice.  
  
No, I mean...still in 8th grade. She stopped in her tracks to pause and to ponder the question before her.  
  
she finally responded.  
  
Still holding the paper towel to the back of his head, Ethan sat down on a creaky wooden bench in the hallway. Following his lead, Miranda sat down, folding her skirt beneath her.  
  
It feels like there are so many unresolved conflicts, he said.  
  
There are, she sighed.  
  
Just then, he took a quick look at the damp paper towel. A small circle of scarlet red stained the center of it.   
  
he said.   
  
Did I mention I was really sorry? she apologized again.  
  
It's okay, really, he laughed. But to make it up for me, could you hold this for me? He put his hand out, the hand with the paper towel still in it. My arm's starting to crampp, he said as he tried to stretch out his other arm.  
  
Sure thing, she said as she took the paper towel into her own fingers, and outstretching her arm over his shoulder, gingerly pressed it against his bruise.  
  
Hey, Miranda, he said, his fidgeting more apparent with every creak of the wood, do you think...you and I have any unresolved conflicts...from junior high? Their eyes were locked and they both subconsciously scooted closer to each other with each passing second.  
  
Like what? she asked. They continued to inch closer together.  
  
Anything at all. Their faces were now so close they could feel each other's breath.  
  
Well, I think-- Ethan's lips stole her wo rds, pressed gently against hers. She returned the kiss, but in her head, she knew she shouldn't have. He pressed on, moving his tongue into her mouth. And she let him. He was rubbing up and down her back now. Her heart raced. What could she do?  
  
Suddenly, she shoved him off herself.  
  
I'm sorry... she said in a state of panic. I can't...this is wrong... She inhaled. I don't love you, Ethan.  
  
With that, she ran down the hall sobbing, leaving a confused Ethan to sit and just wonder.  
  
Then, he saw a crumpled piece of paper fall onto the floor out of Miranda's pocket. He walked quickly to it. Picking it up, he flattened it with his hands. He read the scribbly but legible writing. And all the envy rushed to his head.  
  
--------------------------  
  
[A/N: We've got about 10 minutes go until Bye, Bye, Hillridge Junior High airs. I am so excited, it's sad. I've been counting down since ended. Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait.  
  
Random fact: I worked on the last part of this chapter for most of the week. The first two parts were written all yesterday.  
  
I had a snow day today, so I got to write a lot. Very happy.  
  
I gotta go get ready for the new episode. See ya! Let me know what you think: please review! Thanks.]


	14. Where Is My Happy Ending?

Miranda ran with a look of repulsion glued onto her already-weary face. As she reached the door to the main gym, she was disgusted further by the sight of Lizzie and Kate chatting and giggling away.  
  
She fought back tears and pushed open the heavy gym doors, ready for another confrontation. But the sadness dep inside her acted as a restraint. Swallowing her pride, she passed by Lizzie and Kate's table.  
  
And she marched right across the dance floor, watching her feet as she did, making sure no one saw her bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She stopped behind someone, took one final breath, and tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
He turned around quickly, interrupting his conversation with someone else. Miranda sniffle.  
  
Cody...would you like to dance?  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Kate sat upright in her chair and babbled on about subjects unknown, facial expressions and hand movements included.  
  
An uh huh would occasionally escape from Lizzie's lips.  
  
Kate took a deep breath to even out her breathing from the heavy excercise of talking.  
  
I'm sorry, she apologized. I'm being so vain.  
  
Uh huh, Lizzie uttered subconciously. Her eyes were transfixed on Miranda, with her fingers interlaced behind Cody Pearson's neck, laughing and flirting. _She's acting like such an airhead,_ Lizzie thought disgustedly.  
  
You're not listening to a word I'm saying. Kate took a bite out of her cookie. Am I right?  
  
Lizzie shook herself out of her trance.  
  
  
  
Look, Lizzie, you've got to make up with Miranda sooner or later, Kate stated matter-of-factly.  
  
Oh yeah? Who says? Lizzie said, angrily.  
  
Uh, only the whole world. You guys are always going to be friends. Duh. Kate said it as if it were the most obvious thing. Face it, you can't live without her.  
  
That's why before tonight, I hadn't seen her in 8 years. Because I can't live without her, Lizzie said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.  
  
Were you happy? said Kate, raising her eyebrows.  
  
Of course I was happy, Lizzie responded with thinking. But after reviewing the events of the last 8 years: her movie failing, having to stay in New York, going to NYU and having the loudest, most annoying roommate for freshmen year...finding a note in her apartment one day from Kevin saying he couldn't deal with this anymore' and was moving back west'...Fine, Kate, you're right. I wasn't happy in New York, she said ruefully. But what makes you think the only reason I could ever be depressed is because I don't have Miranda?  
  
If it's not about Miranda, who is it about? Kate giggled knowingly. Is this about Gordo?  
  
Lizzie sighed.   
  
Is that all you can say? Kate said, indignantly. Snap out of it, McGuire!  
  
I can't, Kate!' Lizzie choked back tears and spoke hopelessly. Don't you understand? We were friends for almost 16 years, and then I just leave him. He's going to hate me, and I deserve it, because I'm a terrible friend... She shed a tear. He didn't deserve that.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Miranda flew back to her chair, on cloud nine. She and Cody were cracking up.  
  
And that food fight, oh my gosh, she said in between laughs.  
  
Yeah, that was awesome, he said softly as he chuckled quietly to himself.  
  
As their laughter died down, Miranda struggled to keep the conversation flowing.  
  
she said, awkwardly. How come I never saw you at Hillridge High?  
  
he said, meekly. Well, I went to Jefferson High instead.  
  
said Miranda, unaware that she had just repeated him. Shooting an icy glare in Lizzie's direction, she asked, Did you happen to know a guy named Ronnie Jacobs?  
  
Know him? Cody laughed. He's my best friend.  
  
No way, she spit out. Did he ever metnion a girl named Lizzie McGuire?  
  
he exclaimed. His ex-girlfriend. Said she was a horrible kisser, but really had his eeye on her for a while. They start going out and he talked about her incessantly. Then his ex-girlfriend Melissa came back into town. Lizzie was just sort of a rebound girl. Miranda's eyes bulged out of her head. Yeah, I know I know too much about it. I only had to listen to this pointless story everyday of my high school career.  
  
She patted him on the back.  
  
It'll be okay. He smiled.  
  
So how do you know the infamous Lizzie McGuire?  
  
She's my best friend. Biting her lower lip, she corrected herself. Was my best friend.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Ethan hunched over the bathroom sink and splashed cool water against his hot face, as if to purge himself of all impurities. But that could never happen. He'd taken advantage of a sullen Miranda, and though he felt sorry for his actions, a simple wouldn't cut it. The note she dropped ravaged any scraps of hope left inside the barrows of his soul. He would've preferred blatant rejection over finding out from a note that he only found by accident. And this wasn't just any girl-- this was Miranda Sanchez, the girl he had secretly yearned for for the past 12 years.  
  
But he was the popular jock, and he needed his beautiful blonde babe to stay that way. Kate was far too cruel for him, especially to Miranda. Lizzie was okay, but she got a little annying sometimes. And all the other girls didn't think they were in his league. Miranda was everything he was looking for in a girl. But by the time he'd lost his popularity and it was okay for him to be near her, Lizzie was gone, Kate wouldn't give him the time of day, and Miranda and Gordo...were getting closer. He was jealous beyond reason.  
  
Ethan shut his eyes tightly and, temporarily, shut out his problems. If only he could get through this night in one piece....  
  
---------------------------------  
  
[A/N: I think they're all feeling that way....  
  
Anyway, I know I said I was going to post this tomorrow, but my buddy Grainne and I are taping our Celebrity Talk Shows. LoL, they are these scripts that Grainne has written, and I host this show and Grainne does impressions of celebrities. Barbara Walters is on every episode so far. She also does impressions of Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, Jimmy Carter, Steve Irwin...and more. They are so amusing. So that came up, and then I said March 8th but I finished it today (more on that in a minute) and there's no reason in waiting because there's no premiere of anything tomorrow.  
  
It is miraculous that I finished this chapter today. I didn't start writing it until Sunday and I wrote about 50 words then, on Monday I wrote nothing, on Tuesday I wrote 5 words. I was actually about to just say Sorry, I won't be putting up Chapter 14 this week but I was determined! It's been a month since I last updated, heh.  
  
Anyway, do you like this chapter? I like the ending, with Ethan.   
  
Lemme know what you think, yo! Drop me a review. (I'm going ghetto.) Thanks!]


	15. Strangers In The Night

Larry sauntered over to the punch bowl table to grab a cup for Claire, not expecting anything except the occasional "Hey, Tudgeman!" from random passerbys.

But just as he reached for the ladle, out of the blue popped a voice: "Hey, Larry!" it said enthusiastically.

He dropped the empty cup and turned his head in the direction of the voice. When his mind and vision cleared, he saw a faint semblance of familiarity in the young man's face, but that didn't stop him from squinting in confusion as he spoke.

"Hey," Larry said uncomfortably. An awkward pause followed, for Larry's failure to recognize the guy and the guy's assumption that Larry knew who he was. 

"Oh, come on," the boy whined. "You can't be serious."

"U-um," Larry sputtered. "Excuse me?"

"Damn, Tudgeman, I thought you were a nice guy," the Mysteryboy choked. Quietly, he spoke to himself, "I mean, as far as I was" He stopped short and returned to usual volume. "No. No, I thought you were a nice guy. Claire and her posseI see why they don't remember me. Lizzie and Miranda? Yeah, I see that, too. But you? I thought you were different."

Reaching the obvious finale of his lecture, the Mysteryboy walked back in the direction from which he came from. And Larry just stood there blankly, speechless.

~~~~~

Claire swallowed down the fear rising up her throat. That fear of being alone and feeling like a loner, sitting by herself, as she was. Her eyes darted around the room to find a safe haven--- someone with whom to stay while Larry was getting her some punch. But no luck. In fact, the whole place seemed to be packed with people she'd never seen before, causing the fear to tremble in her stomach.

"Hello," a woman's voice came from behind her. Turning around with her nose in the air, she saw a short, thin redhead before her.

"Um, do I know you?" she responded in her snottiest voice. The infamous snotty voice, used to ward off any so-called "losers".

"Perhaps you do, perhaps you don't," the woman said ambiguously. "My name is Veruca Washington." She smiled proudly. "And I believe yours is" She put her finger to her chin and pretended to ponder. "Claire, is it? I guess all that extra weight you have now threw me off a bit. Oh, no offense, though." Veruca smiled deviously.

__

Veruca, Claire thought disgustedly. _Who the hell does she think she is?_

As a look of malice spread across her face, she quickly concealed it with a fake grin.

"None taken." Looking Veruca up and down, she continued, "I see you've changed quite a bit in the last few years." The evil smile returned. "So what was it, Veruca? Slim-Fast? Dexatrim?" She titted lightly. "Bulimia?"

But instead of growing angry as Claire thought she would, Veruca began to laugh as if it were some sort of hilarious joke.

"Really," she said between laughs," it's like you people never grew up." She brushed the hair out of her eyes. "I'll be seeing you later" She walked off before muttering, "Mrs. Tudgeman."

~~~~~

"Ethan!" Kate yelled out. "Eeeeethan, are you in here?" She quickly peeked down a desolate corridor. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," she joked, still moving around and searching.

Just as she was about to give up all hope, a slight rustling came from behind the door. She pushed the door closed and sure enough, there was Ethan.

"Hey, Boo," she laughed. "Hiding in the shadows again? You're gonna get awful pale back there." But his head stayed as it was, hanging limply from his neck. "Ethan, are you alright?" His head slowly rose from its stiff downward position. When their eyes met, Kate was taken aback. "Ethan, you've"

"Been crying?" He nodded in affirmation. "Thanks. I'm aware."

Taking a seat, Kate heaved a sigh.

"Am I the only one here who hasn't cried yet tonight?"

"By the end of this night, you will have." Ethan smiled weakly, as though it hurt him to. But the color was beginning to return to his ghostly face and swollen eyelids in that unlighted hallway.

"What happened?" Kate asked softly. And their entire conversation continued like that, as if they were prohibited from speaking about what they did.

Ethan explained the story in full and in detail, everything from the bang on the head to the note on the floor, with no detail too minor to go unmentioned. Sitting and listening attentively, Kate tried to absord everything he was telling her. But it was so hard to wrap her mind around the fact that Ethan was in love with Mirandaand had been for so many years.

"and I feel like such a jerk." Kate noticed more tears were slipping down his face. He was quick to wipe them away. "Do you think I deserve to be killed?"

"Killed?!" she said in shock. "Ethan, you only" She gulped. "_kissed_ her."

"Yes, and now she hates me for it," he said as his head hung in shame.

"Well, you must've thought she was" Another gulp. "_coming on to you_. Right?" Kate tried to convince herself.

"I–I don't know." He worked his brain trying to come up with an answer. "One minute I thought she was, but then, the nextshe's pushing me away." He looked down at his hands. "Put yourself in Miranda's position. Would you hate me?"

Kate closed her eyes and thought about this. _I'm Miranda Sanchez. I'm in love with this guy and I don't know if he loves me back. My best friend hates me. And now, this guy that I used to like kisses me out of the blue._ She smiled a bit at this. _Ethan loves me._ A frown took over her happiness. _If only I was Miranda Sanchez._

"I wouldn't hate you, per se." She wringed her fingers. "I'd just kindabe angry. For a little while." As much as she wanted to lie to him, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She shoved her feelings aside for the moment and spit out, "You're gonna get that girl, and I'm gonna help you." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Let's go."

"Wait," he said, suddenly. She turned around to face him. "You'regonna tell anyoneyou know"

"Your crying?" she giggled, then nodded. "Your secret's safe with me." She started back out.

"Wait," he said again. She flipped around and jutted out a hip.

"Yes?" she asked impatiently.

"Thanks."

--------------------------

[A/N: What can I say? As much as those 50 billion "hurry up!!" reviews annoyed me, I have to say, if it wasn't for that persistent reminder, this story wouldn't have been updated today.it probably wouldn't have been updated for another 5 months. So thanks, people (or is it just person?).but please don't do it again. Heheh, I love you, I really do.

I gotta go read the very end of "How Far?" by love-fool. Amy rocks, yes she does. She gets special recognition cause she is muy cool. So is funky pink high top. I am the groovy aquamarine sandal. Okay, I'm weird. You should all be reading the following:

"Things I'll Never Say" by Diva

"No time to waste" by TheRealXenocide

"Wish You Were Here" by love-fool

"Unexpected" by KarasumaFirestorm

"Oh, The Places We've Been" by Jennifer

In fact, just raid my "Favorite Stories" section and read all of them because they are the bestest stories ever. Yes.

I'm babbling. Please shut me up. Next to be updated: Questions Unanswered. (Hopefully.)

Lemme know what you think: please review. Thanks!]


	16. Just A Little Unwell

[Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire. Duhhh.  
  
Recap: Mysteryboy confronts Larry; Veruca confronts Claire; Kate finds Ethan and gives him advice about Miranda.]  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Larry groaned. He'd witnessed the confrontation between Claire and Veruca. All he'd wanted for most of his life was to have girls fighting over him. And now they were, and he didn't understand why he had wished this upon himself.  
  
He hadn't even realized Veruca still liked him in the least. After all, soon after he ditched' them in 10th grade, she started dating another guy, the guy who now seemed to be the leader' of their group. He thought she had moved on.  
  
And the worst feeling was, they weren't even fighting for him because of his personality or his charm: they wanted his money. _It sounds narcissistic when I say it aloud, but one of the biggest detriments to being rich was that no one liked you for who you really were anymore.  
  
_He'd wanted girls to argue over him. Him. Not his assets.  
  
He'd convinced himself, when he got his first call from Claire about going out sometime, that she was a changed woman, and that, somehow, she wasn't quite as superficial as in her high school days. Now, though, he had to second-guess his first assumptions. How could anyone go from tormenting and teasing someone to loving them? Even six years could not forgive the cruelty so quickly. Somehow, though, he had. He didn't want to face reality that he was being completely naive about the situation. His past desires for popularity kept springing back into his mind, dizzying him into thinking dating Claire would help his social status. What he did not realize was that he was an adult now, and that the importance of popularity was no longer there.   
  
But what if he was right? He saw Kate talking to Lizzie earlier. And Ethan seemed to have gain some insight. Other people had changed. Why not Claire? Although it didn't seem like it at times, she was a human being.   
  
_I need to talk to someone about this...  
  
_Across the room, Larry spotted someone at the punch bowl who he thought could help him. _Hopefully...?_  
  
He practically ran into her, he was so glad he'd found someone he could talk to.  
  
Oh, hey, Larry. She took a small sip of her punch and looked around at the people dancing around her. Um, so, how ar---  
  
Miranda, I need your help.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ethan said irately, Now she's talking to Larry. Ethan huffed out breath like an indignant 5 year old. Can we give up now?  
  
No! I told you, you're going to get that girl no matter how many tries it takes. You're going to talk to her, and you're going to tell her how you feel. And whatever you do, don't kiss her unless you're sure the feelings are mutual. Kisses only cause problems, Kate stated matter-of-factly. If you she won't listen to you, I'll talk some sense into her.  
  
Kate tried to shut herself up. She didn't want to be so supportive. If she hadn't been, then Ethan would see what's right under his nose...her.  
  
_But I don't like Ethan like that! I mean, the only reason I started to like him was because he was popular, right? That's not true love. That's shallow and superficial._  
  
With every word she uttered, Ethan was becoming more and more sure of himself. And while it was nice she was improving his self-esteem, it encouraged him to ask Miranda out. And Kate knew Miranda returned the feelings. What she did earlier was just...an act of confusion. Once Ethan told her the truth, she'd tell him she felt, and that would be the end of it. No chance in hell for Kate.  
  
I appreciate your support, Kate. _God, I am screwing up my life._ But I really don't think Miranda even remotely likes me. I mean, she liked me when I was this hot popular guy with great hair. Now that none of that matters... He shook his head. She just doesn't.  
  
You really think Miranda's that shallow? _She kind of is...._ She was just confused. I mean, if the girl you liked suddenly told she's had a crush on you for years, wouldn't you be a little shellshocked?  
  
he heaved out, I guess so. He looked up at her with a lighthearted smile on his face. We were kind of pathetic in junior high, weren't we?  
  
Kate scoffed.  
  
Speak for yourself, she replied sarcastically. And they both laughed together, something neither of them had done in a while.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Gordo took a seat on a squeaky barstool.  
  
What'll it---hey, you look awfully familiar. You from around these parts? the bartender asked him. The bartender was the stereotypical bartender: big, ugly, overweight guy with a grease-stained shirt and dirty gray hair.  
  
he mumbled.   
  
Where ya been livin'? the bartender asked again, leaning onto the bar, interested.  
  
Gordo said boredly.  
  
Oh, fancy-schmancy-ville. What's ya name?  
  
David Gordon.  
  
David Gordon...oh! You're that director guy! My mother loves your movies! Especially the one about the running shoes...  
  
Can I just have a coffee? he said, agitated.  
  
Right, sorry, sorry. The guy went back to the kitchen for a minute, leaving Gordo by myself.  
  
_All by myself._ _Like the song._  
  
Gordo looked around him. The whole diner was desolate, and looked no one had gone it for years. But besides the Digital Bean, it was the only place nearby he could stop where he was sure he wouldn't run into anyone.   
  
He still wanted to go back to the reunion, but he just wasn't sure. He could tell that if he went, his life would quickly turn into this crazy melodramatic mess. He just didn't need the complications. His life was fine as it was. _But Lizzie..._  
  
_No. It's not all about Lizzie._ _What about everyone else? Miranda? Tudgeman? _ He sighed. _I won't be able to stand it._  
  
The bartender came back into the room and placed the coffee in front of Gordo, along with sugar packets and a cup of cream. But he didn't use either. He picked up the cup and took a sip and drank it plain.  
  
the bartender started up again, did you go to school around here?  
  
Gordo was beginning to warm up to the guy a bit.   
  
Ah, Hillridge! I love the little elementary kids that come into here from there. They're so sweet and innocent.  
  
Too bad they don't stay that way, Gordo said quietly.  
  
Speaking of Hillridge, the junior high's got a reunion there tonight for the class of 2002. Which class was you?  
  
  
  
the bartender cooed, why ain't you there?  
  
I don't really want to talk about it, okay? he sneered.  
  
Alright, alright. He backed off. But lemme tell ya: I didn't really want to go to my junior high reunion either. But when I left, my life felt just a little more complete. I'm not saying you have to go, but if you want my opinion, you're gonna regret it if you don't. He went back into the kitchen to clean up.  
  
Gordo sat there for a second, contemplating.  
  
Then, he picked up his stuff, and walked out the door.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
[A/N: Groovynocity! I love summer vacation. Look at the updating I'm doing! Wheeee! I just updated Obit, and now TGHJHR! Happiness!  
  
Guess what? I have a schedule! Yes, I know what's going to happen in the next 2 chapters! That's why I was able to write this chapter so easily and quickly. Nice, eh?  
  
Well, I have no real comments. Let me know what you think! Please review. Thanks!!]


	17. Uncertainty Stinging Clear

[Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire. I just like that old time of rock n roll. That kinda music just soothes your soul. I reminisce about the days of old with that old time of rock n roll. (I don't own that song, either!)  
  
Have I mentioned how much I love you reviewers and even just the readers of this story lately? I'm into triple digits with the reviews, woohoo! I'm a little review-obsessed, I admit, but I'm not going to go all 10 REVIEWS OR THIS STORY'S SO OVER on you. I just want to know what you think, even if all you think is great story update soon (haha I've gotten plenty of reviews like that). So even though I'm the slowest updater in the history of the world, every review takes a day or two off that. ;) Uh, not that I'm bribing you, or anything...hahah I sound like a loser, let's get to the story.  
  
Last chapter recap: Larry asks Miranda for advice; Kate contemplates her feelings for Ethan; Gordo finally decides to go to the reunion.]  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Sitting at the nerd table and clutching her boyfriend's hand for comfort, Veruca's eyes wandered the room at full speed, and it didn't take long for her to notice Larry, who appeared to be having an intense conversation with some girl---wait, wasn't that that Lizzie chick's friend? She scoffed at the thought. Larry would never talk to someone who was friends with such an elitist--and a major elitist for someone who wasn't even officially popular! Obviously, Veruca didn't know Miranda very well, but she didn't look like someone who cared about popularity in the least.   
  
But jealousy still crept over her like a deadly plague. Why should Miranda get to talk to Larry, while she was stuck at the losers' table, pretending to be in love with this boy who she really could not stand? She really felt no remorse, for before Scott ever joined forces with them in 11th grade, Larry seemed to be the most revered person in their clique. And Scott took over that position ruthlessly. At first, Veruca would've loved to run off with Larry and joined him in being a social reject, but then, out of the blue, Scott showed an interest in her. Her great desire for attention and admiration from her peers got the better of her. She and her boyfriend were on and off throughout the rest of high school and college, and finally, here she was. At her junior high reunion. Engaged to someone she didn't love.  
  
Again, her eyes meandered lazily through the crowds, hoping to see someone she knew and liked. Unfortunately, the only person she could find was Claire, who was gabbing away with one of the many other popular lemmings. Veruca was surprised she wasn't attached to the hip with her little husband Larry, trying to steal more money right out of his pocket. How anyone could do that to a man who was so loyal and generous was beyond her. But that's Claire for you---she'll use anyone and everyone to make ends meet.  
  
Stuck in an angry state of being and staring at Claire in contempt, she didn't even notice when another girl came walking somberly to her table.  
  
Um, Veruca? Snapping out of her trance, she turned to the voice to see none other than Miranda herself. Can I um, talk to you?  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Ethan stood nearby as Kate and Brooke chatted incessantly about the last 5 or so years of their lives, holding Kate's cup of punch. Having Kate around was such a comfort. Even after all that happened in their high school days, he was always quick to forgive and forget, as soon as someone said they were sorry. And the talk they had in the hallway a while ago was much better than a lame apology. If it wasn't for Kate, he'd spend this whole night alone. Maybe the people at the supposed geek table' would adopt him into their family for the night. His eyes shot to the table left of the DJ's booth. And he would've looked right back towards Kate and Brooke, if it weren't for the fact that he immediately noticed Miranda there. Talking to...was that Veruca?  
  
He wondered if he'd ever get a chance to fit more than one word for Miranda. Was she playing messenger between two people? She was just talking to Larry, and now she was talking to Veruca. It was possible, but was it really likely Miranda would do that for them? Didn't she have better things to do?  
  
Then again, someone could easily say that about him at this point. From an outsider's point of view, it was like all he was doing was escorting Kate around. Maybe he could break free from her for just a minute, catch Miranda while she's sitting by herself...  
  
His feelings for Miranda was completely inexplainable. It started around seventh grade, and while he never got tired of being fawned over by girls, he began to search for someone who he really liked for more than just good looks. Preferably, someone who wasn't popular, but who was cool enough so that he wouldn't ruin his reputation. (Forgive his superficial state of mind, he was only 13 at the time.) He'd found that person in Miranda. Of course, Ethan did like Lizzie, but for one thing, she was popular, in an offbeat sort of way, and secondly, he thought of her as friend material. Nothing more. But Miranda...she just seemed to be different than all the other girls at Hillridge. She wasn't afraid to be who she was. And that's when it all began.  
  
But throughout high school, Miranda barely spent a single second...well, single, and all of them were long-term relationships with guys who were the complete opposite of Ethan: deep, insightful, intelligent. He just couldn't compete. And he probably still couldn't. He hadn't talk to Miranda or even Lizzie all night. For all he knew, she could be married right now, and have kids and a white picket fence. _I'm probably just doomed to be single for the rest of my life._  
  
But then another thought popped up in his mind as he turned back to watch Kate and Brooke's conversation. Kate. Granted, he still wasn't the smartest guy in the world, but he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. He'd liked Kate around the same time he liked Miranda, but then gave up his crush on her after they had their issues in high school. So, now that things were all resolved, was he just supposed to...go back to it? Almost 7 years had passed. He wasn't even sure he still liked her like that.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
_I can't believe Larry just made me do that._  
  
Miranda ran her hands under the faucet and grabbed a paper towel to dry them. Not only had she just had to play messenger boy' for Larry, it was to deliver a message to Veruca, of all people. And though she knew little about her, she quite frankly just didn't like her attitude. She was like Kate Sanders, sans the genuine popularity. She'd been rude to Lizzie, had her nose stuck up in the air, and worst of all, ditched Larry for some lame-o more popular nerd guy. Miranda never knew the dorks of their school had their own little hierarchy. Then again, she didn't know much about the dorks of her school at all.  
  
She felt a pang of guilt as she leaned against the bathroom wall. All Larry had done was shown an interest in her. Though things were left with a question mark during the summer after 8th grade, as soon as she got back to school, she again wrote him off as a nerd. How could she be such an idiot? Tudgeman was the only guy she'd ever enjoyed spending time with. All the others were these manic depressives who really needed to know the meaning of the word . But what was she supposed to do? Cast them all off and just go on single? Of course, this would've worked for anyone else...it was, of course, the way Lizzie spent her couple years in high school. But she was determined to show people it wasn't just Lizzie that got all the guys.  
  
So why couldn't she just go out with Tudgeman? Needless to say, it was all about reputation. Reputation was everything in high school, and Miranda was already way below status. She didn't need to date a guy like Larry just to prove it.   
  
Just by talking to Veruca, Miranda could tell that she liked Larry. Like, how she kept squeezing that boy's hand and insisting she had no interest in him. She couldn't believe any guy would like that wench, especially a guy as nice as Larry.  
  
Then it hit her. _Oh, God. I like him, Veruca likes him, and Claire's engaged to him._ _I never knew anyone would ever fight over Tudgeman._  
  
She sped out the door to redeliver a message to Larry, sighing and shaking her head._Will this night ever end?  
  
_------------------------------  
  
[A/N: I'm afraid not, Miranda. *laughs maniacally*. Extra-long chapter...or maybe it's just cause my ANs are pathetically long.  
  
No, but really, I know it's unrealistic, but just think of it this way: everything in the story happens REALLY quickly. I don't know how long the reunion will go on to...1 AM, maybe? Haha. Maybe Principal Tweedy will come back in and tell them they're allowed to stay as long as they wish. Who knows? I certainly don't.   
  
As a side note, I know I haven't mentioned Lizzie's whereabouts since chapter 14, but I PROMISE you she will be in the next one. As will Gordo and a little bit of Mysteryboy, too. ;)  
  
This story might be going up to 40 chapters for all I know. I'm on Chapter 17 now and look at how many problems they still have to work out...  
  
Who does Larry like? Are Kate and Ethan more than just friends? Will the Three Amigos reunite? Does Lizzie like Gordo or someone else? Can Kate and Claire settle their differences? What happened between Miranda and Gordo in high school that they haven't told Lizzie about? AND WHO THE HECK IS MYSTERYBOY?!  
  
And that's just a few! So stay tuned, drop me some reviews, and lemme know what you think! Thank you, muchos gracias. I am the Frito Bandito.]  
  



	18. Free Fallin'

[Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire. I own the feelings that lie deep inside the souls of the silent, who linger and taste the bittersweet rhapsody of a love lost. (Damn, I'm poetic!).  
  
This story is exactly 367 days old. 17 chapters in one year. How pathetic is that. I need to get to stepping. Am I right or am I right?  
  
Last chapter recap: Veruca contemplates her feelings for Larry; Ethan contemplates his feelings for Miranda and Kate; Miranda (also) contemplates her feelings for Larry.]  
  
--------------------------------  
  
_One small step for Gordo. One giant leap for mankind.  
  
_He began his somber procession towards the front entrance of the gym. This was it. This was doomsday. On his long drive there, he'd gotten horrid mental images of his best friends shunning him and declaring how they completely and utterly abhorred him, and wished he was dead. While Gordo never really cared to be accepted by most of his peers, he did care deeply about what his friends thought. He often took their opinions of him to heart. If Lizzie and Miranda told him they didn't care if he were alive or dead, they might as well just plainly state that he should go commit suicide.  
  
He'd forgiven Lizzie years ago for leaving without as much as a goodbye. In fact, the resentment only lasted maybe a year or two. He just wished he could've forgiven her sooner, so he hadn't ruined his high school years dwelling on her absence. Because if he hadn't dwelled on her absence, then he never would've done what he did to ruin his friends with Miranda forever.  
  
He took deep, calming breaths as he trudged up the small flight of stairs. His mind was filled to the brim with doubts and second thoughts, but at the same time, his subconscious was carrying him towards the party. He took that final step up, and here he was. Gordo was finally at the reunion.  
  
Maybe it was the mental imagery he'd built up in his head of this being a life-shattering event that he felt disappointed, walking into a place and absolutely no one taking notice of him. But he was obviously not aware of the night before him, and the events in the near future. These here were only the first few seconds.  
  
It didn't take long before drama began to unfold itself. He was simply standing there, watching his former classmates chat and dance, and soaking in the atmosphere surrounding him. But then, to his far right, came a high, unmistakable voice.  
  
Slowly but surely, he turned to his right to stare back into the face of a girl he really hadn't seen in 10 years. Parker McKenzie.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie still sat at her table, contemplating leaving. She'd already inflicted further damage upon her friendship with Miranda, been ditched completely by Kate, and hadn't even seen him yet. The whole night. There just didn't seem to be a point to staying anymore. She couldn't possibly ruin things more than she already had. Everything tonight was supposed to be perfect. She was supposed to forgive everyone, forget everything, and sat her life anew. Not screw everything up beyond recognition.  
  
But these thoughts ceased soon after.  
  
It was when she was searching the room for someone she knew, didn't hate, and wasn't busy talking to someone else at the moment. There seemed to be no one. Miranda was talking to Larry, Kate with Brooke, Parker with..._hmm, who is that guy?_ From the angle she was watching, she could only see the back of his head, which was simply a mass of dark curls. But...nah, couldn't be. He wouldn't talk to Parker...would he? No way, it just couldn't be...  
  
For a split second, the guy turned his head around to look out past Lizzie towards the band. And she instaneously recognized that face, even from afar. Her heart skipped a beat. It was Gordo.  
  
This overpowering feeling of joy was the best feeling she'd had all day. All week. All month. Maybe even in years. Her feet bounced, itching to just run to him and hug him, and never let go, so she could never run away from her life again. She wanted to be his friend again, she wanted to talk to him, she wanted to ask him about his work, she wanted so much, but everything came crashing down when she remembered how she'd left. He'd still hate her, and she knew it. To do something so selfishly as she had was something unforgivable.  
  
She heaved out a sigh. Why was Gordo talking to Parker before he talked to her? It was obvious. He did hate her. Or maybe he came there with Parker. Which definitely meant he liked Parker more than he liked her. Or maybe he was married to Parker. This seemed so unlikely, since what happened in 8th grade, and how she moved away before high school began. But still, Lizzie was digging the hole of her depression deeper and deeper.  
  
She continued to observe the conversation between Parker and Gordo. They both looked so happy, like they were reminiscing about the good days. If he could reminisce that much with Parker, it was intangible how much reminiscing he and Lizzie could do. Hours upon hours of stories of every moment of their childhood, from when they were just babies, all the way up to...well, when everything fell apart.  
  
Nothing hurt more than being presented with something you want so badly, and being told you're not allowed to go near it. And that was just how Lizzie felt about her friendship with Gordo. It didn't matter how much she wanted to be friends again. If Gordo didn't want to, then that was that. No questions asked.  
  
But that didn't make it any easier to deal with.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Mysteryboy moped around, disbelieving that no one could recognize him. He still had the same hair, the same face, the same smile. It wasn't like he'd gotten some major plastic surgery done. Then, maybe it would be reasonable. He didn't realize he was so forgettable.  
  
Then, right near the entrance to the reunion, by the double gym doors, he spotted a girl and a boy, chatting away rather happily. Surely, these two would remember him. He recalled talking to them at one point or another, so he was certain that he knew them. In fact, he actually wasn't too fond of one them, but didn't realize this until much later.  
  
He nearly sprinted over to them, desperate for someone to just realize it was him, someone to simply mention his name, and make coming to this reunion worth it. He just wanted to know that he had made some sort of impact on his classmates.  
  
Parker! Gordo! he said, puffing out small breaths as they looked on, worriedly. Please, please, please tell me you know who I am.  
  
Ummm, did you graduate with us? Parker asked, cluelessly.  
  
Gordo said, quite confused, I...can't...say I do?  
  
I give UP, Mysteryboy yelled, simply throwing his hands up in a huff. It was all too much. Would any notice him this evening?  
  
---------------------------  
  
[A/N: Oh yes, bebeh. Someone will. Don't expect Mysteryboy for MANY, MANY chapters, I don't think. But you just don't know with me! So yeah, I was glad to get back to basics here in this chapter, with Gordo and Lizzie and Mysteryboy, since they're pretty much the foundations of this story. I love writing from Gordo's POV, squee!  
  
So I let you in a little teensy bit of Mysteryboy's personality. But of course, I being the tease that I am, left it just ambiguous enough to not tell you straight out who it is. Don'tcha you just love me for that?  
  
Yeah, I've been working on this for two hours now, and it's 2 AM and I'm going on my 9th grade retreat later today. Should be a boatload of fun, indeed. *cough*  
  
Lemme know what you think: please review. Shanks bunches!]


	19. I Love Him, But Only On My Own

[Disclaimer: If I owned Lizzie McGuire, you would not be reading this. You'd be my minion. Mwahaha!!  
  
Recap: Gordo enters the reunion and is approached by Parker; Lizzie wonders about her friendship with Gordo; Mysteryboy approaches Parker and Gordo, but to no avail.]  
  
_------------------------------  
  
I cannot believe I'm talking to David Gordon!_  
  
She was just the new girl in 5th grade. She'd only gone to school with him for 4 years. She barely talked to him until 8th grade. So to Parker McKenzie, David Gordon was more like a famous guy she'd never meet than a former classmate.  
  
Just calling him was strange enough. Her mind just couldn't make the connection from this Gordo' boy she knew from middle school and the famous director, David Gordon. David Gordon was the wealthy director whose movies she'd go see every Saturday. Gordo was the kid who'd crushed her heart in the middle of their last year at Hillridge Junior High. Mind-boggling didn't begin to describe it.   
  
To the outsiders, their situation was...complex, to say the least. But Parker knew the truth. It was a classic case of mismatched timings. Well, that, and the fact that she'd so brutally rejected him, and the next day, just about everyone was talking about it. But that wasn't Parker! She had these moments, moments where she just wasn't herself. She'd gotten a bad reputation, simply because every gossip-worthy thing she did was so rude and obnoxious: yelled at Lizzie when she sat on Parker's lunchbox, drew all over Miranda's art project, called Gordo short. Maybe the whole time, she just wanted acceptance.  
  
Going to a new school was strange. Your parents keep telling you, Don't worry, you'll make friends! And they say it so much, you start to believe it. That only makes the fall harder when you realize...you have no friends. No one likes you. No one wants to hang out with you and talk about cute boys and complain about mean teachers. You might as well fall off the face of the earth, because no one would care.  
  
She spent her years at Hillridge as a loner. It didn't take long before people realized this and took advantage of it, with juvenile nicknames like Loser McKenzie'. There was one girl who was nice to her, though. Her name was Lizzie McGuire.  
  
So maybe they weren't full-fledged friends who hung out after school and whatnot. But they talked at recess, even if just for a second before Miranda and Gordo called for her again. And that's when Parker first realized she wanted to be friends with Lizzie, Miranda, and Gordo.  
  
But then she screwed up. Lizzie sat on her favorite lunchbox. It cracked, and so did Parker. She hated Lizzie for a few months, but even when she finally forgave the blonde girl, it didn't matter. She and her two best friends now hated her.  
  
After that, it was just a series of mishaps, screw-ups, whatever you want to call them. Rejecting Gordo had to be the worst. And now, here she was, 10 years later, and she still hadn't said she was sorry. Maybe she could subtly slip into the conversation. Now was her chance...  
  
She couldn't. Why? The answer made no sense, but it was this.  
  
She still liked him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
You don't like, love him or something...right?  
  
Claire let out a dramatic sigh. To her old friend Alix, this was a huffy sigh, an impatient reminder that she had better things to do than answer obvious questions. Only Claire herself knew that this was a sigh of serious, deep thoughts. It's not like anyone realized Claire was capable of serious, deep thoughts. Of course not. She was just your typical teenybopper-all-grown-up situation, a little cheerleading girl stuck in a woman's body. And of course, Claire was definitely not capable of loving.   
  
Of course I don't love him, she snapped back. What do you take me for, Alix? A considerate, faithful wife? ...You're the only one.  
  
Jeez, sorry, Alix scoffed. I thought maybe you'd grown up in the past ten years or something. I guess that's just too much to ask of such a ungrateful wench such as yourself. With an eyeroll, she stomped away in typical ugh-you-obnoxious-dirk fashion.  
  
Why did everything have to be about growing up? Everyone thinks that they've just grown up so much in the past few years. Uh huh, whatever. Less than six years ago, these were the same people who totally abused every nerdy kid they laid their eyes on. Now they were just oh-so-mature. _Give me a break_.  
  
But then what were her feelings for Larry? So she knew she was capable of loving. But was she capable of loving...Larry Tudgeman?  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Well, I guess I better get going, Brooke said in her usual overly cheerful voice. I'll see you around, Kate! She trotted off in Alix's direction.  
  
Yeah, see you, Kate replied sadly, after she'd left. She turned back to Ethan, who looked half-asleep now, with his eyes glazed over and a bored expression stuck on his face. Sorry, Ethan, she said in a genuinely apologetic voice. It was funny to think that if this were high school, or even junior high, she'd yell at him for even slightly slouching. Now he was full-out not caring whether or not she saw him be bored to death, and it just made him even more attractive than she already found him. How could he be so nice like that? It was....unnatural. She wished he would just become a jerk already, so she could have some sort of reason to ignore him, hate him, and never talk to him ever again.  
  
Something wrong? Ethan asked, with genuinely sympathetic, concerned eyes. Eyes Kate just wanted to melt into. Yet something was stopping her, some invisible force refused to let it happen. No, it just wasn't fair...if she wanted something, she'd get it! Wasn't that the Kate Sanders motto? With her head down, without blinking, tears began cascading down her face. Ethan, perplexed by the sudden outburst, apprehensively brought her to him. He gently held her, with her cheek on his, staining him with her own tears.  
  
Like a small, vulnerable, impulsive child, her lips were pulled in the direction of his. They barely glided against his when he returned the kiss, slowly, maybe even a little reluctantly. There they were, standing there by the punch bowl in the middle of their junior high reunion, yet off in their own world somewhere. Though one can only stay there for so long. At one point or another, reality must faced against.   
  
Ethan pulled away, still wanting to hold her but afraid something might happen again. And he couldn't run away--he'd experienced firsthand how much that hurt. But he didn't feel mature enough to stand here and pretend everything could be talked through. So there they stood.  
  
In awkward silence.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
[A/N: LO SIENTO, GENTE! I'm so so sorry. Here's the dealy: my laptop has been broken for the past 2 or 3 months, and I just finally got it fixed! I had already started this chapter at the end of November (everything except the very end), so I didn't want to rewrite any of it. So I waited.   
  
The ending was kind of impulsive, hahaha. I'm insane sometimes. I figure I've made you wait so long, I guess I'll give you some action this time around. W00t.   
  
Please lemme know whatcha think and REVIEW. Gracias!]  
  
  



	20. Pay No More Than Absolutely Zero

[A/N: I don't own Lizzie McGuire. I believe that's a given, children.  
  
Recap: Parker ponders her friendship with Gordo; Claire reevaluates her relationship with Larry; Kate and Ethan *dun dun dunnn* kiss.]  
  
---------------------------  
  
Miranda couldn't keep her eyes focused on Larry as he spoke. All she could hear was Claire this and Claire that. It was such a sight to pity, to see a boy--a man, even--so in love with someone, clueless as to the truth. And you'd think somewhere down the line, somene would drop him a hint. But by the way he spoke of her, obviously no one had.In his naive mind, he still had that psychological need for acceptance, yet refused to change himself to do so. So the fact that a beautiful, popular girl had accepted him and learned to love him just the way he was...he just became enamored. She couldn't think of a more terrible way to break a guy. Everyone knew Claire was a rotten, cold-hearted wench, but no one expected her to sink so low.  
  
It certainly wasn't making Miranda any more willing to admit to her feelings. In fact, the more she stood there and listened to the boy talk, the more she questioned the existence of said feelings. He'd always made her feel good about herself, and made her laugh. But now, when all his attentions were focused on this supposed of his, he wasn't quite as...carefree and amusing.  
  
Her eyes wandered the room for one a second or two, but the sight before her eyes was unmistakable. There, by the punch bowl, Kate and Ethan, lips locked. She had just been kissing him only an hour or two prior, and already he was kissing that...that..._girl._ It wasn't like Ethan to cheat on a girl. He'd gone through so many girlfriends that way when he was younger. He'd date them, get bored, and feel too guilty about cheating on them. The sight of Ethan and Kate engaged in such a passionate kiss rose no visible fury or resentment in Miranda. It was simply fascinating to her, to watch two people make fools of themselves for all to see. And she just stared, stared as if nonplussed, blank expression plastered on her face, unamused yet enthralled. The moment seemed to go on forever, until she wondered when one would need to come up for a breath. But it was her mind prolonging the kiss, making it slow motion, scrutinizing the details. All in a moment, the nonchalance caught up with her, and she just had to walk away. Not run as if her life were some overtly melodramatic soap opera. Just walk in contemplation of her general feelings. Towards life, towards others, towards herself.   
  
She found herself walking towards the girl's bathroom, her refuge from the tempest that was this reunion. But the notion of comfort quickly ceased when Miranda opened the door to find Lizzie there. Not trying to escape anything, as she was, just washing her hands. That was so like Lizzie. To be completely oblivious to nearly everything that going on. Or even worse, to know and to try to ignore it.  
  
Hey, Miranda. _Oh, don't you Hey, Miranda' me. And don't stand there, drying your hands and looking innocent and pretending like nothing happened and that we were never fighting in the first place. Don't you dare..._  
  
  
  
For the moment, as Miranda saw how wonderful their salutations had gone thus far, she, for once in that pitiful night, saw hope. Why had she even begun to fight with Lizzie, when it was so blatantly obvious Lizzie was the only one that could understand her at this point? And why hadn't she thought of this earlier, when there might not have been this strange, awkward silence?  
  
Um, Miranda, I'm...really sorry, Lizzie said. And Miranda loved her all the more for it. I was just really frustrated earlier. I wasn't even sure I wanted to come to this reunion and now everything's spinning around my head faster than I can move. Miranda only paused for a moment before offering up her apologies too.  
  
No, Lizzie, Miranda said, in a serious tone. I should be the one apologizing here. I don't even know what I was thinking earlier. I was really just caught up in everything. Lizzie smiled, and gently bit her lower lip.  
  
Remind me never to fight with you again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Larry just wanted to leave.   
  
This whole reunion thing seemed like a good idea. Flaunt his beautiful fiancee, rub in some people's faces, perhaps, mingle with some old chaps and be on his way home. The night was payback for the abuse he suffered through in junior high and high school. And it wasn't like it wasn't working. He saw the jaws drop when Claire entered the room behind Tudgeman of all people. But somehow, it wasn't quite as gratifying as he thought once upon a time. And then, when his life-long dream of being a ladies' man was finally becoming a reality, it just dawned on him. It wasn't what he wanted. He didn't mind the ladies fawning over him, but he had always hoped for girls to like him, yet there would be one that stood out, one he knew he truly loved. This wasn't exactly the case now.  
  
First, there was Claire. An obvious choice, since she was his fiancee and all. But now that he was doubting if there were love in the relationship in all, it worried him. The mere thought of doubt made him feel the need to reevaluate the relationship. And things weren't looking too good.  
  
Then there was Veruca. He'd always had a slight crush on Veruca. Nothing came of it because at the same time they were getting the closest they'd ever been, Larry's popularity was waning. And this, to rather-shallow Veruca, was not an okay thing. But still, she didn't seem happy with that Scott guy.  
  
And lastly, there was Miranda. His oldest flame, and the dullest....or so he thought. When he started out this night, Miranda was in the back of his mind. Now that he was here and he had talked to her...things changed. He was reminded of her intelligence, and beauty, and her radiance. That bizarre, yet addictive glow she possessed. He wouldn't pursue anything with her--he was pretty sure she was with someone at the moment--but still, the thought was intriguing.  
  
He was contemplating all three decisions when that tall, lanky boy walked over to him. Scott, it was, with Veruca begrudgingly following along behind him. Larry hated such confrontations. First of all, he should've left Veruca out of it. And secondly, it was like Scott was pleading for attention by pretentiously striding up here like he felt he was someone important.  
  
How are you, _Lawrence_, Scott said, emphasizing the name with such contempt.   
  
I'm fine, Larry said curtly, trying not to cause trouble where trouble needn't be caused.  
  
That's wonderful, Scott chimed in. He paused for effect, and went on. Tell me, Lawrence, do you believe you're someone important? It really took the will power of several men not to punch Scott right then and there.  
  
I believe everyone's important in their own special way.  
  
Do you now, the boy said, seemingly ignoring the answer. Do you think you're any more important than anyone else in the room? Behind him, Larry said Veruca wince a bit and keep her face down.  
  
  
  
Oh, really, the boy went on, laughing dryly. Then what makes you think you can just send messages around and not think of the consequences? I don't care how much effing money you have, Tudgeman, you still don't own me, and I don't have to put up with your crap if I don't want to. You don't own the world, _Lawrence._  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ethan's lips broke abruptly away from Kate's, as they both stood back in semi-shock, semi-horror at the incident at hand. Kate, whose face seemed to be deepening in shades of pink to shades of red as the seconds went by, mumbled some incoherent excuse to flee the scene before questions arose.  
  
His heart was still racing as he waited for questions to be thought of. There was always the questions. The second after you do something you feel you regret, questions come into your brain. But he couldn't think of many. He knew he didn't have feelings for Kate. Their past relationship was a result of social pressure to conform into their proper stereotypes. A thing of junior high naivete.   
  
So then why had it happened?  
  
----------------------  
  
[A/N: Yeah, I COULD make it longer. But guess what? In 34 hours I'll be leaving for the airport to fly to Costa Rica. So I want to post this now. So...here you go. Haha, I started this at the beginning of 8th grade. Now we're starting course planning for 10th grade. Pretty crazy, I know, but I'll be working on this a lot. I'll try to finish most by the end of the summer.  
  
Thanks to those who reminded me to start working on this. I'd only done half the first paragraph before Monday.  
  
Lemme know what you think: please review, yo.]


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